Improvement in car-brakes



E. FARNSWRTH. Car-Brakes.

No` 138,141. Patented Apm 22V', 1873.

l/ l v UNITED STATES PATENT FFIC-E.

ENOCHFARNSWORTH, OF TIPTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-BRAKES.

Specification formn g part of Letters Patent No. 138,141, dated April 22, 1873 application filed August 3l, 1872.

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, ENooH FARNswoRTH, residing in Tipton, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oar- Brakes, of which the following is a specification:

In the annexed drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of a car having my improved brake attached, the lower portion being in section, and showing the parts in the positions which they assume when the car is running and when the brakes are not applied. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the position of the parts when the bra-ke is applied; and Fig. 3 is a bottom view, showing the arrangement of the brakerods and of the levers to which the drawheads` are attached.

Corresponding lettersrefer to corresponding parts in the several figures. ,v

-This inventionfrelates to th at class of brakes which are to be applied automatically by the momentum of the train as the speed of the engine is suddenly checked and the cars are caused to approach nearer to each other 5 and it consists in the combination and arrangement of some of the parts of which it is coniposed, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

In applying this improvement to cars I use any approved form of car-body, "A, which may be mounted upon any desired form of trucks, B B, the wheels, axles, jaws, and boxes, as well as the brake-hangers, levers, and shoes, being of the usual form. The parts above referred to do not separately form any part of my present invention, and hence need not be more particularly referred to or described here, as their construction is well known. The parts which constitute my improvement an extra pair of wheels mounted upon an axle which is secured in a swinging frame placed about midway between the trucks of the car, and have combined with them certain rods, chains, and levers, the parts being so arranged as that when the car is being drawn forward by the locomotive the brake-wheels will be lifted from the track by the action thereof, but will be caused to descend and rest upon `the rails when the cars have been relieved from the power that propelled them, in which posiconsist of l tion they will have a rotarymovement imparted to them that will cause a chain or rope to be wound around their axle, which will at once apply the brakes to all of the wheels of both of the trucks of the car. In constructing brakes of this character I attach to the frame of the car suitable hangers, 1, to which a frame, 2, is hinged,as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. This frame is pivoted at one end to the hangers 1 in such a manner that its opposite end can play up and down freely. As near the free end of this frame as convenient a pair of wheels, 3 3, are placed, which have been securely fastened to an axle, 4, said axle having its bearings in the frame 2. Into the axle 4 there is inserted an eye, or other form of fastening, to which to attach the end of a chain or rope, 5, which connects it by means of a rod, 6, with the brake-lever 7, in order that when the wheels 3 are resting and rotating upon the rails the chain 5 may be wound around the axle 4, and thus cause the brakes to be applied. The lever 7 has a grooved roller attached to its upper end, on which the chain or rope 8 passes, which is a continuation of the rod 6. From the chain 8 a rod, 9, passes to, and is connected with, the upper end of the brake-lever of the other truck of the car, and

thus the rotation of the shaft 4 is made to apply the brakes to both trucks at one and the same time. The buffers or draw-heads 10 are attached to the levers 11, one end of which is pivoted to the framework of the car, as shown in Fig. 3. To the free end of this lever ropes or chains 12 are attached, which extend therefrom to the links or chains 13 which are attached to the free or swinging end of the frame 2 and to the frame of the car in such a manner that, when the power of the locomotive is exerted to draw the cars, the free end of frame 2 will be elevated and its wheels will be lifted from the rails, and the brakes will be released from contact with the wheels 5 but the moment that the steam is shut olf from the engine, and the bilder-heads of the different cars are elevated to come in contact with each other, the buffers will be forced inward, which will bring the links 13 into nearly :a vertical position, and allow the spring 14 to press the free end of the frame 2 and its wheels, 3, down upon the rails, whichl will cause the 2V 1Samu Wheels and their .axle tobe rotated, and,

throughthe medium of the ropes or chains, rods, and levers above described, the brakes to be applied to all of the truck-Wheels. In order that the time of applying the brakes may beunder the control of the brakesmen, or other persons employed on the train, and in order that they may be relieved from contact with the truck-wheels at any time when the car is in motion, a rope or chain,15, is attached to the free end of the frame 2, and

passed upward to and through an eye-bolt, or

over a pulley which is attached to the body of the car, and thence forward and around a brakeshaft, 16, which is secured to the platform or to `the body ofthe car in the usual manner, so that, by turning said rod by means of the wheel17 upon its upper end the free end of frame 2 and its Wheels may be raised and relieved from contact with the rails, which operation will cause the brakes to relax their hold upon the truck-Wheels. In order that frame 2, when elevated as above described,

may be held rinly in position, 'and not be al` lowed to change its position as a consequence of the vertical or lateral motion of the car, stops, 18, are secured to the under side of the ycar-body in such position that, when frame 2 is so elevated, its free end Will rest upon said stops and there be held firmly in its position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claini is- The combination of the car-body A, frame 2, Wheels 3, axle 4, suitable ropes or chains, and rods 5 and 6, and lever 7 with its frictionroller and rod or chain, 9, for applying the brakes, substantially in the manner set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name this 23d day of July, A. D. 1872, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ENOCH FARNSWORTH.

Vitnesses J. W. MISTER, WM. M. LYNCH. 

